<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//SoftQuad//DTD HoTMetaL PRO 5.0::19980907::extensions to HTML 4.0//EN" "hmpro5.dtd">
 
<HTML>
 
<HEAD>
<TITLE>The Children of China, an Artist's Journey</TITLE>
</HEAD>

<BODY>
<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">The Children of China, an Artist's Journey</H2>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1">Text and illustrations by Song Nan Zhang,
published by Tundra Books, McClelland &amp; Stewart Young Readers, Toronto,
1995 </FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1"><B>Reviewed by Heather McDonald, FCC BC &amp;
NWWA</B> </FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1">Song Nan Zhang, formerly a professor of art in
Beijing, was on a trip to Canada when the Tiananmen Square massacre took place.
He stayed in Canada and two years later, was permitted to bring his wife and
children from China. This book is a beautiful dedication to the various ethnic
identities that make up China's people. It focuses on the children of China in
their everyday pursuits, so that the reader gains an understanding of life in
China in many parts of the country. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1">For example, we read about the life of
Mongolian shepherds, and see a detailed painting of a shepherd boy playing
chess with a grandfather in a mountain meadow. The nomadic life of Tibetan
people is described, as well as that of the semi-nomadic peoples who live in
western Xinjiang. The mountain world of the Yi is explored; the author relates
the mixed feelings he had when painting the accompanying illustration, as he
remembers his years during the Cultural Revolution working in the autumn
countryside woods. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1">The author leaves us with his message that all
children are born good, and his hope that everyone might become artists of some
kind as they grow up. He points out that : &quot;In the end, out of China's
long and troubled history, it is not the empires of the powerful that have
survived, but the work of artists done in caves over a thousand years
ago&quot;. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1">This book is sophisticated, and without doubt
appropriate for adults. However, it is also a favorite of my three year old. I
think she relates to the life-like paintings of children from China. For this
reason, I would recommend it for a person of any age. Age group all, although
text is for adults. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-1"><I>Heather McDonald is an avid reader and a
member of FCCBC &amp; NWWA.</I> </FONT></P>
<CENTER>
<TABLE WIDTH="75%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="120" ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-2"><B><A HREF="../../index.htm" TARGET="_top">FCC BC 
Home</A></B></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER"><A HREF="../../../../index.htm" TARGET="_top" ONMOUSEMOVE='window.status="FCC BC Home"'><IMG SRC="../../Images/home_logo.gif" ALT="FCC BC Home" BORDER="0" WIDTH="200" HEIGHT="30" ALIGN="ABSMIDDLE"></A>
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="121" ALIGN="RIGHT"><FONT SIZE="-2" FACE="Arial"><B><a HREF="mailto:fcc_bc@yahoo.ca">Feedback</a></B></FONT></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="120" ALIGN="LEFT">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT SIZE="-2"><B><FONT FACE="Arial">Copyright &copy; FCC
BC  </FONT></B></FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="121" ALIGN="RIGHT">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="-2"><B>Last Updated: January 20th, 2000 </B></FONT> 
</CENTER>
</BODY>
</HTML>

